The writer of the letter “Progressives have ruined Democratic Party” (Nov. 20, TribLive) speaks of progressives producing “great ideas in theory, but no substance” and asks, “How do you implement and fund these progressive fantasies and measure their effectiveness?”
Regarding President Biden’s original, progressive plan, Build Back Better, had it passed, it would have been fully funded. How are the child care tax relief proposals, bringing children out of poverty, not substantive? Even the voters who elected Biden in 2019 must have disagreed. The beneficiaries of that plan would have tangibly measured its effectiveness —- in their budgets.
The fault of BBB’s failure lies with the likes of Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, who dismantled it, watering down the funding and carving up provisions into ineffective measures. This derailed Biden’s economic plan to help poor and working people — the very ones feeling the most economic pain now. This is what brought people to the polls, desperate for solutions to their woes.
On the concern for the billion-dollar campaign, a recent article in The Nation points out, “The Democratic Party has long been shaped by far more powerful forces — corporate interests, lobbyists, and consultants — whose influence has neglected the real crises facing everyday Americans.” It goes on to point out how big donors misled the Harris campaign in order to further their own interests over the voters’.
So, listen to your voters, not your donors.
Jim Gluch
North Belle Vernon